Save money now: 27 ways to lower your utility bills
In the current economic climate, its been a bit rough for those that want to go green on a budget. Not everyone can...
Read the rest of this article2010 Toyota Prius plugin-hybrid mimics Chevy Volt with 12.5 miles all-electric
Toyota has enjoyed the top spot in the hybrid electric car race for a long time, and with the 2010 plugin-hybrid Prius it’s hoping to defend that spot amid competition from the likes of GM, Nissan and Ford. This version of the Prius will travel 12.5 miles on a charge of electricity alone before tapping into the gasoline engine.
That’s a nod toward GM’s vision with the Chevy Volt, which will provide 40 miles of electric-only driving before using a drop of gasoline. Toyota may be targeting a different price point though with its third generation Prius starting at $22,000. Pricing of the Chevy Volt is still not known in detail but could be somewhere around $40,000.
A little over 500 of the 2010 Prius plugin-hybrids will be released worldwide next year to provide critical market intelligence from drivers participating in a lease program. Toyota decided to include a lot of the architecture present in the third generation Prius and that means a full electric hybrid mode is available for longer journeys.
One difference in the plugin version is its battery. Toyota will swap out the nickel-metal hydride battery pack for a new, high-output lithium-ion battery, according to a company press release. Recharging the battery will take 3 hours on a traditional home outlet and 1.5 hours from a 230v outlet.
12.5 miles isn’t a long enough distance to handle daily commutes for most people, but it certainly is a head start over using a traditional combustion engine or even a current hybrid electric engine. Drivers will have to decide if they want to pay more for extra electric-only mileage from the Chevy Volt or opt for the more affordable 2010 plugin-hybrid Prius.
Toyota also has a lead in that choice matrix from its rock solid reliability and legions of happy Prius drivers.
- Login to post comments
Comments
At $22K, this Prius is a vast improvement and, more improtantly, it is afordable. I am impressed. If they can recharge the thing at work then that doubles the milage on the charge to 24 miles. If they live less than 12 miles from work and can recharge at work, they get infinite MPG. The Chevy Volt at $40K is only available to 6 figure Greenie elitist. The Volt is the biggest mistake in auto history besides the Edsil.
Couldn’t disagree with you more, and you clearly show your lack of knowledge for the subject.
The Prius came out and was more than 50% of a equivalent vehicle, most Pruis you buy today top out over 30k, yet people still wanted them.
The Volt is a superior product, but just like the Pruis when it came out, the Volt will be expensive. How ever, with sharing some manufacturing components with the Cruze, the Volt price will drop in a few years with design cycles 6months to a year apart.
The Pruis is king right now for sure, but the Volt will be the new Pruis in 5-10 years and will have started a revolution in the automobile industry that you are already seeing today